


WinterIron 65 - Poinsettia

by 27dragons, tisfan



Series: Stocking Stuffers [17]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bad Parenting, M/M, Tony Stark Has Issues, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug, christmas ficlet, poinsettias
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-02-16 02:21:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13044489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/27dragons/pseuds/27dragons, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tisfan/pseuds/tisfan
Summary: This fic takes place in the Nights in Sandbridge AU, a modern-day, no powered setting where Bucky owns a beach diner in Virginia. This story takes place about 2 months after Tony and Bucky get married, their second Christmas together, about two weeks before they visit Atlanta for the first time.





	WinterIron 65 - Poinsettia

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DreamcatchersDaughter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamcatchersDaughter/gifts).



> This fic takes place in the Nights in Sandbridge AU, a modern-day, no powered setting where Bucky owns a beach diner in Virginia. This story takes place about 2 months after Tony and Bucky get married, their second Christmas together, about two weeks before they visit Atlanta for the first time.

Owning a restaurant came with a certain amount of situational awareness; Bucky had learned over the years how to identify an emergency on the floor from something mundane, like Clint breaking a bucket full of plates.

He wasn’t really paying attention -- something had smashed, and Wanda had cussed for a bit, but she’d been setting up an elaborate Christmas display -- and then someone was screaming, and that was a voice he _didn’t_ recognize. Which meant it was a customer.

Bucky pushed back from his desk, ran his fingers through his hair to present his best _I am in Charge Here_ look, and headed out to the floor to see what the fuss was.

“Someone call 9-11!”

_Christ_. Bucky moved faster.

Wanda’s display was mostly intact; she and Tony had been building an elaborate Christmas tree shape using pots of varied colored poinsettias. One pot had been tipped over, mulch and plant scattered on the floor and several of the leaves and flowers had been torn off and were scattered around the display.

“You don’t need to call an ambulance,” Wanda declared, her hands on her hips.

The customer, who was squatted down, holding a child of preschool age and indeterminate gender, squashed against her shoulder, glared. “Those flowers are _deadly_ poisonous! You get me an ambulance _right now_!”

“I can call Poison control,” Bucky offered, taking the scene in. Tony, coming out of the back hall with a broom and bin, the customer hysterical, Wanda furious and defiant. Poison Control was one of the numbers programmed into Dockside’s landline phone.

“I don’t need poison control! I need to get Abby to a hospital! She’s going to die, hundreds of kids die _every year_ from eating poinsettia leaves! Why do you even have them in your diner? That’s just _irresponsible_ , I am going to sue you back into the stone age!”

Bucky reached for the phone and punched in the emergency number.

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

“Hey, this is James Barnes, at Dockside, Sandpiper Road,” Bucky said. “I have a customer here with a potentially ill child.”

Tony was on his phone, too, poking at the screen. He held it out to show the woman. “Really, look. WebMD says they’re not poisonous.”

The woman made a scoffing sound. “You expect me to trust the _Internet_?” She said it with that tone that told Bucky she’d already made up her mind and that nothing was going to convince her. He rather suspected even a doctor wasn’t going to ease her panic; but at least the doctor wasn’t _Bucky’s_ problem.

“The kid didn’t even eat the flower,” Wanda said, pulling the leaves in a pile. “She just yanked it off the table. My god, relax!”

Bucky winced. That… yeah, there went the mom, voice spiraling higher in rage and frustration. The kid had squirmed free and was staring at her parent like it was the best movie ever, thumb firmly in her mouth.

“Customer’s child may or may not have eaten poinsettia plant material,” Bucky reported to the emergency dispatcher.

“We get this sort of call a lot, sir,” the emergency dispatcher told him, “the plant’s not poisonous. They need to eat like five or six whole leaves to even get an upset stomach.”

“Believe me, I know,” Bucky said, sighing. “Ma’am--” He tried to get the customer’s attention, but she was busy yelling at Wanda. “Ma’am, could you please speak to emergency services to give them your information? Ma’am--”

Tony physically pushed between the customer and Wanda. “Stop yelling at our staff,” he snapped. “They’re not. Poisonous. Look!” He snatched up a handful of the leaves and shoved them into his own mouth, chewing furiously. “Fweee?”

“Oh, my god,” Bucky said, faintly, staring at his husband. “Are you even for real?”

“Sir?” The emergency dispatcher squawked.

“Just send the ambulance?” Bucky suggested. “I think the mom will feel better.”

The dispatcher sighed. “You know there’s a fine for using emergency services for non-emergencies. I can’t send an ambulance for a non-poisoning.”

Tony made a horrific face and bolted for a trashcan, spitting half-chewed leaves into it. “Oh my _god_ that’s vile,” he complained. “It’s worse than arugula. Worse than _kale_. No way would any kid willingly eat enough of it to get sick.”

“Yeah, okay, thanks,” Bucky said to the dispatcher, on automatic. “Wow, Tony, really?”

The customer was sobbing, her face red with frustration, and Wanda, who had her fists balled up at her sides, looked like she was an inch from bursting into tears herself, looked up at Bucky. _Do something_ , her face told him.

“Ma’am,” Bucky tried again. “Ma’am. Emergency services says that the plant’s not going to hurt your child, but if it makes you feel better to have a doctor confirm, there’s an Urgent Care facility up in Oceana. You can’t miss it, just go straight up th’ main road, and it’s on the left after you pass into town. Don’t worry about your meal, I’ll take care of it.”

The customer scooped up her child, who still looked vastly amused for a three- or four-year-old. She sniffed, didn’t bother to say thank you, and stormed out of the restaurant. There was a long, pregnant pause, before the rest of the customers went back to their meals.

“Tony, you okay?” So, he knew that the plant wasn’t poisonous, but at the same time, Bucky had heard all those warnings, too. The persistence of the urban legend, he guessed.

Tony was still spitting into the trashcan, alternating with gulps of water. “That was the nastiest thing I’ve ever tasted,” he complained. “Remind me not to do that again.”

“Don’t do that again,” Bucky said, earnestly, pulling his husband in for a quick hug. He didn’t dare do more, with the floor still half occupied, but-- “Jesus, you are too much… you might not be poisoned, but my heart almost stopped, you lunatic.” He turned to Wanda. “Are you okay? You need a break, for a bit?” Wanda was not good about being yelled at; she took it personally.

“She’s going to take her poor kid to the hospital for nothing,” Wanda said, staring at the door. “I don’t… it’s not poisonous. Poison Control issues a statement about it _every year_. I’m… I’m a master gardener! I know what plants are poisonous! I wouldn’t put up a display that might hurt someone, is she insane?”

“Probably,” Tony put in, wiping his mouth and taking another long swig of water.

“You can’t force people to be smart,” Bucky said.

“She’s gonna bring a lawsuit against us,” Wanda said.

Bucky nodded. “Probably,” he said. “It’ll be okay. We’ll take care of it. You don’t have to be involved.” He sighed. “We’ll give Jenn a heads up, in case something comes of it. It’s okay, Wanda.” He was gently nudging her back to the kitchen, where she could have her breakdown in peace, away from the customer’s eyes. He could tell, the way her shoulders were shaking, that she was very close to hysterics.

“Steve, can you get Wanda some tea?” He made a note to himself to add a little extra something to Wanda’s Christmas package. “When you’re feeling better, go ahead and finish up the decorating?”

Wanda’s mouth thinned. “Yeah,” she said. “It’ll be the best poinsettia tree in the whole city!”

Out of sight of customers, Bucky drew his husband in, wanting reassurance, because damn, Tony had actually scared the hell out of him, and kissed him.

Then Bucky licked his lip; the bitter, _desperately_ bitter, taste was still lingering on Tony’s mouth. “ _Oh, my God_ ,” Bucky said, grimacing. “That’s like… radishichino. On steroids. Holy hell, why would anyone _actually…_ disgusting!”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” Tony said. He slumped against Bucky’s side. “I’m going to brush my teeth with a whole tube of toothpaste.”

Bucky nodded. “Yeah, you… uh, you do that, baby. I’ve got your spot on the floor for twenty minutes, you take a break.” Bucky reached for his apron. Crazy panicked mother or not, they had customers to feed. He looked back, just to make sure Tony wasn’t going to drop over dead from being poisoned, then headed out on the floor. Maybe they’d luck out and nothing else would happen. At least for the day.

**Author's Note:**

> [Poinsettias are not poisonous](https://www.webmd.com/children/features/is-poinsettia-really-poisonous)   
>  [The "tree" that Tony and Wanda were setting up](http://www.mathbits.com/Poinsettia2G.gif)
> 
>  
> 
> [Master Gardener:](http://blogs.lt.vt.edu/mastergardener/) An educational/volunteer certification for persons who have attended 50 hours of classes specifically for knowledge-based plant care. Essentially, Wanda has an associate’s degree in horticulture.


End file.
